12:18PM, Wednesday 19 July 2023
Photo: Helen Edwards
Aljari became the latest to earn a ticket to the £75k Fitzdares Sprint Series Handicap final at Windsor by winning last Monday's penultimate qualifier.
The seven-year-old trained by Tom Clover was dropping down a furlong following his win over seven at Lingfield last month. Two furlongs out the 10/1 shot was short of room but jockey Luke Morris found a way through and kept on well to pass Treacherous, winning by a neck.
Morris moved closer to reaching 500 career wins by also driving home 9/4 favourite Tiffany in the Racing League On Sky Sports Racing Handicap for trainer Sir Mark Prescott.
In addition to Morris, another who had a double to celebrate on Monday was trainer George Scott. He won both divisions of the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes, first with Watch My Tracer, ridden by Benoit De La Sayette, and then with Piz Nair, the mount of Callum Shepherd. Both were favourites, 2/7 and 9/4 respectively.
Piz Nair was having only his second run, having finished fourth of nine at Windsor three weeks earlier when De La Sayette was in the saddle.
Lady of Sardinia, the 20/1 outsider of the six-runner field, sprung a surprise by winning the Spinnaker Support Nursery Handicap in the hands of Marco Ghiani, having finished sixth of seven at Bath on her previous outing.
That apparent improvement in form was noted by the stewards with trainer Stuart Williams explaining the filly had benefitted by being ridden more patiently.
Charlie Johnston's Yorkshire Terrier, the early leader, broke down during the race and was pulled up quickly by Jack Mitchell. Sadly, he was fatally injured.
The Play With The Finest Bookmaker - Fitzdares Handicap was won by the Marco Botti-trained Silver Gunn (7/2), ridden by Neil Callan, while Jim Crowley guided Amanda Perrett's Dream Of Mischief (11/2) to victory in the BMSI-Making Buildings Smarter Handicap.
Next Monday's meeting features the 10th and final Fitzdares Sprint Series Qualifier with the final to follow on August 7.
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